But Not Today
by thelilacfield
Summary: The monster has the lethal weapon. Hermione is dead. Ron is distraught. It's all over. But will today really be the day their journey ends? Trio-centric


But Not Today

It was hopeless. Utterly hopeless. It had the lethal weapon. Ron was too distraught to help. Hermione was dead. And Harry's eyes were so clouded by tears he couldn't even see clearly the monster that faced him. It was all over.

"So, are you giving up, Harry Potter?" the ancient evil asked. "If you plead for mercy, if you give you give up hope, if you surrender to me, I might let you live." It ran a hand up the blade of the sword that had killed Hermione. "Then again, I might not."

"Why are you doing this?" Harry asked. Maybe, if he kept it talking, maybe he could buy Ron enough time to get himself and Hermione's body back to Hogwarts. He would die, but his friends would be safe. It would be worth it.

"I want to rule the earth like I once did," it said. "You have no idea of the terror I inspired in men's hearts before your ancestor vanquished me. Men feared me, cowered before me. Those I let live served as my slaves. And then he came and took away my body. I was only a life force, attached to nothing. Then I took possession of a simple-minded human that passed me and I found that each time I did this, I grew stronger. Since then I have been piecing myself together and after I leave this body I will be whole again and I will destroy every person who stood in my way, starting with you, Harry James Potter."

"What happened to the people you possessed?" Harry asked, edging closer, planning to grab the sword.

"Oh, they died when I left their bodies," it said airily. "I fried their brains and I destroyed their bodies from the inside out. I left my mark. I left a black lump in the hearts of those I possessed to show that once they had helped a great evil."

"What would one do to kill you?" Harry asked, trying to sound like this was just something he was interested in and not like he was angling for crucial information.

"They would have to use a blade and stab my host body," it said. "I don't know what would happen to the person I had possessed, but I would become that weak spark of life I was when your ancestor destroyed me."

"Oh, really?" Harry said, slowly stretching his arm out. "What are you going to do now?"

"You are going to die, Harry Potter," it said. It lunged forward. Harry wasn't sure how he did it, but he managed to grab the sword. He aimed the point towards the monster. For a moment, he felt a quiver of uncertainty. This creature might be evil, but it was still Ginny's body he would be stabbing, Ginny's body he'd be running through with the lethal sword, Ginny's scream of pain that would fill his ears as the creature left her body. The monster saw this and smiled.

"You're not strong enough," it said. "You're weak. You have the weapon, yet you don't have the strength to use it. I, on the other hand, have magic." The creature raised its arms and the ground began to shake. Harry barely kept his footing as the ground pitched and rolled. All he knew was that he had to stop the creature or it would be invincible. With a battle cry that echoed throughout the landscape, Harry ran the creature through the heart with the sword. The ground was still, the monsters arms lowered and it stared down at the ruby-encrusted hilt protruding from its chest.

"This…cannot be," it whispered. "I am invincible!" It started towards Harry, but suddenly it convulsed. Ginny's body was shaking and shaking, her head flopping from side to side. A shriek of anger pierced the air and darkness seemed to creep in around them. Then, in an instant, everything was silent. There was light again. Ginny's body had vanished, where to, Harry didn't know.

He turned to Ron, still staring miserably at Hermione's broken body, and laid a hand on his arm.

"Ron, it's over, we won," he said softly, not wanting to intrude on his friends grief.

"What does it matter?" Ron asked, his voice strangled by emotion. "Hermione is dead."

"If we hurry, we can get her back to school," Harry said. "We can get Madam Pomfrey, healing magic, potions…she could be alright, Ron."

"No, it's too late," Ron said, more tears falling from his blue eyes. "I can feel it, we've lost her. I promised I'd always take care of her…I failed her." He broke down, his head resting on Hermione's still chest, sobbing the dreadful sobs of a man with nothing to live for. His arms were wrapped around her body as if he never wanted to let go, and Harry suddenly had an idea. He grabbed hold of Ron's arm, silently praying that he would continue clinging to Hermione's body that way, and reached for the Portkey just as it glowed bright blue.

They arrived in the grounds as Harry heard the bell clang for break. Soon the grounds would be full of people, they had to hide. But Ron wouldn't move, even when Harry kicked him in the ribs. Harry silently prayed for someone sympathetic to be in the crowd as he saw the first wave of students flooding out of the doors. Suddenly, Ron seemed to snap out a trance. He got quickly to his feet and, together, he and Harry lifted Hermione's limp body and carried it towards Hagrid's cabin.


End file.
